The present invention is directed to an orthopedic brace. More precisely, the present invention is directed to a knee immobilizer.
The knee is probably the least protected joint in the human body. There is no ball and socket or mortice to hold the ends of the femur and tibia in their place. There are simply a few ligaments to hold everything together. Yet the knee carries the weight of our bodies and thus is subject to more forces than any other join in our anatomy.
The knee allows free flexion and extension of the lower leg and limited medial and lateral movement (rotation). If enough force is applied to the knee this rotation will increase and damage or tear the supporting ligaments. Damage can also result from the levee being bent backwards (hyperextension).
Once damage is done to the ligaments, the injured tissue needs time to heal. In many cases, simple rest is inadequate and surgery may be required to repair the damage. The present invention relates to a knee support that is worn to immobilize the knee after an injury as a form of treatment or as a temporary measure to prevent further injury before other treatments can be applied.
Most conventional knee immobilizers or braces on the market today are no different than the ones sold 20 years ago. They are simply pieces of foam with straps and pockets attached by sewing. Usually there are three pockets—one behind the knee (posterior), and one on each side of the knee (medial and lateral). Metal stays are inserted into these pockets to provide support and immobilization to the knee.
These conventional designs have several disadvantages. For example, they have a multitude of straps that make the knee brace confusing to use and time consuming to apply. Once the brace is applied to the leg, it tends to “piston” or migrate down the patient's leg because the medial/lateral stays are straight and do not follow the contours of the leg. Once the brace migrates out of position relative to the knee, the intended function is greatly reduced. Finally, conventional knee braces are not size/color adjustable so that medical practices must stock a multitude of sizes and colors as needed to fit the varying anatomy of their patients. These and other problems associated with conventional knee braces are overcome in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention.